Smart & Final
| File:Smart&Final logo.svg | |
| File:20140802-0817 Commerce.JPG Headquarters of Smart & Final located in Commerce, California. | |
| Formerly | Santa Ana Grocery Company (1912–1914) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Grocery store |
| Predecessors |
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| Founded | 1871 |
| Founders | J.S. "Jim" Smart H.D. "Hildane" Final |
| Headquarters | Commerce, California , United States |
Number of locations | 253 (2022) |
Area served | California, Arizona, Nevada, northern Mexico |
| Products | Food |
| Revenue | US$3.1 billion (2022) |
| Owner | Chedraui USA (formerly Bodega Latina Corporation) |
Number of employees | 11,000 |
| Website | https://www.smartandfinal.com/ |
Smart & Final operates as a warehouse-style grocery and supply chain business headquartered in Commerce, California. Tracing its origins back to Hellman, Haas & Co., established in Los Angeles in 1871, the company currently manages more than 250 outlets throughout the Western United States and maintains 15 stores in northwestern Mexico via a partnership with Calimax.
Serving both professional food-service clients and everyday consumers, Smart & Final formerly managed Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores (previously known as Cash & Carry). Since 2008, the introduction of the Smart & Final Extra! format has featured larger retail spaces with a broader range of merchandise.
History
Initially founded as Santa Ana Grocery Company in 1912 with a focus on feed and grain supply, the business was purchased and rebranded as Smart & Final Wholesale Grocers in 1914 by financier J.S. "Jim" Smart and H.D. "Hildane" Final. By 1919, the company’s revenue had reached $10 million. In the 1920s, it pioneered a self-service "cash and carry" system to enhance competitiveness.
Following a merger with Haas, Baruch & Co. in 1953, Smart & Final was acquired by Thriftimart in 1984 and later went public through an initial public offering in 1991. The company expanded into Mexico in 1992 through a joint venture with Calimax, opening its first store there two years later.
In 1998, the acquisition of Portland-based United Grocers Cash & Carry (subsequently renamed Cash & Carry) bolstered its presence in the Pacific Northwest. Further growth occurred in 2007 with the purchase of Henry's Farmers Market and Sun Harvest Markets for around $166 million.
Apollo Global Management took ownership of Smart & Final in 2007 for $813.9 million. The company introduced larger-format SmartCo Foods stores in Colorado in 2010 but withdrew soon after due to underperformance and strategic shifts.
In 2012, Apollo sold the firm to Ares Management for $975 million; two years later, Smart & Final returned to public markets via an IPO. The organization expanded its footprint by acquiring leases for 32 former Haggen locations in California during 2015.
Apollo reacquired Smart & Final in 2019 for $1.1 billion. That same year saw a redesign of its e-commerce platforms aimed at improving online experiences for both consumer and business customers.
In May 2021, Mexican retailer Chedraui announced its intention to purchase Smart & Final through its U.S.-based subsidiary Bodega Latina (which was later renamed Chedraui USA), marking a notable shift in the company’s ownership and international strategy.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- United States Supermarkets
- United States Wholesalers
- American Corporations Founded in 1871
- Retail Enterprises Founded in 1871
- Private Equity Holdings
- Companies Owned by Apollo Global Management
- Businesses Located in Los Angeles County, California
- Former New York Stock Exchange Listed Companies
- Mergers and Acquisitions in 2007
- Mergers and Acquisitions in 2012
- Mergers and Acquisitions in 2019
- Initial Public Offerings in 2014
- Commerce, California
- Western United States Economy
- California-Based Supermarkets
- U.S. Catering and Food Service Firms
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- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- American companies established in 1871